Newcastle Upon Tyne

[BakedAlaska7751]

We will be in Newcastle Upon Tyne on 27 May 2017. We want something interesting (perhaps bordering on eccentric) to do that day, since it's the last port of our cruise before returning to Copenhagen. Can anyone recommend something off the beaten path? We saw a company that does haunted/ghost tours and has one about the Newcastle witch trials and another about the history surrounding the Black Death there:

 

http://www.aloneinthedarkentertainment.com/

 

They seem to have good reviews.

 

Also, we saw there is an exhibit on Quentin Blake, the famous illustrator, that will be going on while we're there.

 

http://www.newcastlegateshead.com/whats-on/quentin-blake-inside-stories-p861361

 

Does anyone who lives near there or who has been to that port have any suggestions? We have a feeling that we might be utterly castled out, so unless the castles/ruins there are especially spectacular or have very interesting stories, we'd rather skip those.

 

Thanks so much for your help!

[Ray66]

Just to pint out that your ship will dock at North Shields which is 8 miles away from Newcastle so you are going to need some transport to get there - the metro, bus, train or taxi:

 

https://www.rome2rio.com/s/North-Shields/Newcastle-upon-Tyne

[BakedAlaska7751]

Just to pint out that your ship will dock at North Shields which is 8 miles away from Newcastle so you are going to need some transport to get there - the metro, bus, train or taxi:

 

https://www.rome2rio.com/s/North-Shields/Newcastle-upon-Tyne

 

Thanks for that! The brochure mentioned this for several other ports but not here. Very important.;)

[Bob++]

For a bit of "living" history (no castles) try Beamish Museum.

 

Beamish is a living, working museum, set in 300 acres of County Durham countryside. Costumed demonstrators bring to life the Edwardian Town and Pit Village, complete with original drift mine. At Home Farm and Pockerley Old Hall, experience firsthand how the Industrial revolution transformed agricultural life in the region.

 

http://www.newcastlegateshead.com/things-to-do/beamish-museum-p604911

[Morgans]

Beamish is marvelllous and well worth a visit but you need all day - time constraints ?

[wowzz]

May 27th is the Saturday of a Bank Holiday weekend. I doubt you have a late departure, but I can guarantee that if you could spend the evening in the Bigg [sic] Market area, you would experience a night that you would remember for the rest of your life!

[BakedAlaska7751]

Beamish is marvelllous and well worth a visit but you need all day - time constraints ?

 

8:00 - 17:00. Well, really, 16:00 because we have to be back an hour before the ship sails. Is it doable?

[Morgans]

It would take approx 40 mins by taxi to Beamish .it opens at 10.00am and I would imagine you would want to leave about 3.15 to be back for 4.00. I suggest you look at the Beamish website and see if it would be of interest to you. It is a fascinating place - my aunt's house (along with several others in the same street) was transported brick by brick and reconstructed to be one of the exhibits there. It's a true representation of life in the North East of England in Victorian/Edwardian Times - the idea of the open air museum came from the examples in Scandinavia and it is now one of the best in the world.